Mental Health Counselor I

Title: Mental Health Counselor I

Program/Dept: MHRC

Reports to: Director of Nursing

Classification: Part Time, Nonexempt

Salary Range: $25 an hour (+ 5% differential pay if applicable to shift) and Benefits.

Shift: Friday - Sunday 11pm-7:30am

About Us:  Caminar is a leading behavioral health organization that supports youth and adults across multiple counties in Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area. Caminar builds strength and stability through comprehensive mental health and substance use treatment, and wrap-around services, delivered through evidence-based, whole-person care. Founded in 1964, Caminar's vision is to be a beacon of safety, compassion, and fulfillment, supporting all those in our communities who need it most. Our mission is to build strength and stability through comprehensive mental health and substance use treatment delivered through evidence-based, whole-person care.

. People of all races, ethnicities, countries of origin, faiths, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identities are welcome here. To learn more, please visit .

Position Summary: This is a part time position with a varied work schedule. Under supervision of the Director of Nursing, the Mental Health Counselor 1 provides support and assistance to clients through individual support and services delivered in a Mental Health Rehabilitation Center (MHRC).

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain a respectful, caring, tolerant, ethical, and empowering relationship with all individuals served.
• Establish and maintain clear and effective communications with clients, ensure that their needs are met, assist them in the development and implementation of their treatment plans, and prepare them for the next level of care or other discharge options.
• Participate in client intake and discharge processes.
• Obtain initial client inventory list and maintain client inventory list throughout clients duration in the program.
• Document clients' progress in program charts daily.
• Assist program management in ensuring compliance with all agency policies and procedures, contractual agreements, licensing and certification requirements, and local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
• Provide accurate, timely, and complete transfer of program and client information to other staff as they begin their shift.
• Provide crisis intervention and including physically restrain clients, as necessary.
• Provide one-to-one services to clients, as necessary.
• Remain alert, perform job functions, and complete daily task lists.
• Orient new clients to the program, or, when possible, enable other clients to orient new clients.

In conjunction with all other program staff members, actively participate in the effort to ensure that the facility environment is homelike, clean, safe, attractive, and comfortable at all times.

• Notify program management of all needs for repair or maintenance of the facility or program vehicles, involving clients when appropriate.

• Assist program management to create and maintain a safe and professional working environment free of hostility, harassment, and discrimination.
• Ensure safety of the facility perimeter and client safety at all times, reporting any unusual occurrence involving a client to licensed nursing staff or management immediately.
• Facilitate and lead activities, as assigned.
• Participate in staff meetings and attend other meetings, as assigned.
• Attend and participate in regularly scheduled supervision sessions.
• Attend training events and complete online training modules as assigned, completing a minimum of fifty-two (52) hours of in-service training annually.
• Motivate clients to complete their activities of daily living, attend groups and social activities, and take their medications as prescribed.
• Assist nursing staff with gathering clients for medication passes.
• Assist with scheduling client appointments.
• Assist clients with dressing, grooming, bathing and or other personal hygiene related activities.
• Assist clients with getting and eating meals.
• Assist clients with room maintenance, laundry, meal planning and preparation, shopping, and cooking.
• Support licensed nursing staff with taking and recording clients’ height, weight and vital signs, as assigned.
• Monitor and report on clients’ whereabouts and status when in their room or elsewhere in the facility.
• Participate in promoting a safe, healthy, and clean working environment at all times consistent with applicable laws, industry standards and the agency’s own Health & Safety Program.
• Answer the main facility phone and log phone calls.
• Obtain visitor information and monitor visitors while onsite.
• Assist with maintaining facility cleanliness such as but not limited to cleaning bathrooms, taking out garbage, and cleaning the kitchen.
• Maintain food safety protocols.
• Complete and submit accurate time sheets and absence reports to program management in a timely manner.
• Promote within the agency and with the public the philosophy and practice of social rehabilitation.
• Drive agency vehicle to transport clients and on various errands, as required, such as but not limited to client outings and clinic visits; documenting and reporting mileage according to agency procedures, so that services can be provided in a timely manner; comply with agency vehicle policy at all times;
• Actively nurture and advance the cooperative, harmonious, and teamwork-oriented environment Caminar strives to promote within the workplace; Through daily efforts and presentation promote an atmosphere of dignity and respect in line with the organization’s mission, philosophy, policies and procedures.
• Perform other related duties, responsibilities and special projects as assigned.

Qualifications & Skills

• Must be passionate about Caminar's mission.
• High School Diploma or GED is preferred. If there is no high school diploma or GED, a minimum of one year experience or training related to mental health programs.  Such experience shall be in the direct provision of services to a program’s identified clients or residents.
• Excellent computer skills in a Microsoft